Ride the wings of imagination

„Ride the wings of imagination”

Youth in Action, Action 4.3

01-08.07.2012, Zebegény, Hungary

The project “Ride the wings of imagination” was organized by Association Co-Efficient between the 1st ant 8th of July 2012 in Zebegény. The training’s topic was the LARP (Live Action Role Play) presented as a tool of non formal learning. The participants were experienced youth workers representing different organizations from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Italy.

Role play is a usual tool in school education, especially in literary and language studies on elementary and secondary levels. In particular, these types of role play aim the direct delivery of knowledge by introducing texts or improving verbal skills, in its objective and methods differs from the tradiotional means of theater play. The LARP, besides using elements of both genres of role plays, was first of all developed from the “classical” role playing game (RPG), introducing a new and multilateral method that might also become an efficient and exciting tool in youth work and non-formal education. The principal objective of the RWI project was the presentation of this method, therefore we prepared an all night LARP as well in order to share an impressive experience with the participants.

The first two days of the training were dedicated to group integration, encouraging team work and the evolution of confidence within the team. On the third day, the participants took a visit in Budapest as some recreation before starting to work on the programme’s principal topic on the 4th day, so to prepare for the LARP.

At the beginning, the participants received a short overview on what LARP is, how its method can be described and what experiences did some of the participants gain with LARPing. The introduction was soon followed by some practice – games and other activites that might revive relevant skills and, on the other hand, help the good atmosphere to evolve. As the next step, the participants had the opportunity to have a closer look on the first achievements by playing a „mini-LARP”, a role play based on a simple situation and played in groups of 4-5-6. In that same stage of our training, we also prepared a Karl Popper debate, first of all for giving an outlook on other methods of non-formal education.

The 5th day arrived and the programme culminated – that was the time for playing the „big LARP”. The story andcharacters had been being elaborated for weeks before the training, though were careful to save some free space so that characters can be actualized in view of the competences of the participants. Characters and the complex system of relations between them is a substantial element of each LARP. A character is described properly when it includes the imagined person’s foreground as well as its most important characteristics, motivations and individual goals – the descriptions of the characters are shared with each players in one to one sessions, also ensuring that they have enough time to familiarise themselves with the roles before the game starts.

In Zebegény, we had an excellent opportunity to use the town’s abandoned school building that seemed to be an ideal choice for our LARP’s story, imagined in an alternative Soviet Union’s devastated area. The decoration of the premises was also delegated to the participants. Decorations, costumes, make-up, all of them make for same purpose: to contribute to the identification in the role and in the universe where the LARP takes place.

The most important topic of the training’s last day was the review of our LARP by exchanging the experiences that the participants had, and giving some feedback to each other and to the organisers too. Afterwards, the participants regrouped by organisations to write up how they realize they can make use of the LARP method in their work at home. In addition, they also wrote a journal on each day that we have already shared on our website.

The programme of our RWI project was considerably intensive, however it gave an enduring experience and lots of impression to the participants – and to us too. We hope that besides the presentation of the method, the mutual interaction and new contacts will also contribute to inspire the work with young people in both of the participants’ and the Association’s future.

Peace on you!

posted on 2013-11-19 by admin

Another project in Europe which will help us to advertise Live action Role Play as great non formal education method. PEACE ON YOU ! is a training course in 3.1.b action in frame of Youth in action programme and involves 37 participants from 28 organizations from 27 countries from Europe.

The project will take place for 7 days in Busteni , Romania. The aim of the project is to promote culture for peace and peace education in order to strenght the cooperation between youngsters and organization all over Europe especially in conflict and post-conflict zones.

You(th) are the conflict manager!

posted on 2013-10-30 by Andrzej Smyk

We are happy to show you description of next project where Live Action Role Play is one of main methods of non formal education. The project You(th) are the conflict manager! join together 22 youth from 10 countries (Romania, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Hungary,Turkey Netherlands, Estonia, Germany, United Kingdom) at Baile Herculane, Romania.

They will work together using nonformal learning methods, in general role play and LARP methods, to understand more about the modality to resolve a conflict.

The main theme of the project is to use nonformal methods to solve or to help some important youth problems like train them how to revolve the conflitcs very diplomatic. The youth will be put in the situation when they can act a role and can express his fears, or can understand by being in the role of a abused and abuser.

Guardians of Europe

posted on 2013-09-01 by Andrzej Smyk

The ‘Guardians of Europe’ project’s aimed to explore the historical period of the Turkish wars from a different perspective, with the involvement of 25 young people from the Visegrád countries by organizing an exchange where young people can develop their interpersonal skills, have a good time together and in the meantime learn about each other’s culture and their common historical heritage.

During our 8-day-long exchange in Visegrád, Hungary the young people from the participating countries had the possibility to get to know each other, learn about each other’s culture and work together in order to explore their common heritage and similarities of their history related to the Turkish era.